“Service to others”

[systematicX]

I understand what service to others means as far as what med schools expect but I have “served” my community as a volunteer EMT for a few years with over 2000 hours and the vast majority of people were under served and vulnerable population (from the homeless, to pregnant teens, to elderly, and disabled children) and I just don’t understand how this can only count as clinical experience and not service to others. I am not in any way trying to get out of finding another volunteer position as I am planning on doing that but truly my experience as an EMT, serving the community and the exposure I have had to people of all walks of life just can’t be beat. It’s been the most valuable and meaningful experience I’ve ever had so far, Please explain how this doesn’t count as service to others? @Goro @LizzyM

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[Goro]

It's clinical because you're dealing with patients.

When we say service to others, we are talking about non-clinical volunteering

 

[systematicX]

It's clinical because you're dealing with patients.

When we say service to others, we are talking about non-clinical volunteering

But I thought service to others is also about getting out of your comfort zone and interacting with people who are different then you? Couldn’t some aspect of this count as service to others or 100% clinical? What if you had an interaction with someone but they refused treatment? I know it seems like I’m really grasping for straws here but it’s a genuine question. I have to go find something that counts as service to others asap

 

[chilly_md]

But I thought service to others is also about getting out of your comfort zone and interacting with people who are different then you? Couldn’t some aspect of this count as service to others or 100% clinical? What if you had an interaction with someone but they refused treatment? I know it seems like I’m really grasping for straws here but it’s a genuine question. I have to go find something that counts as service to others asap

The category on AMCAS is non-clinical volunteering. You might get more leeway volunteering at a free clinic or a similar setting because it is quite obvious the background of the patients you are working with. Volunteer EMT does not lend itself to that and likely only your state school(s) would know more about the specific location you were working in.

Closing as the OP was already advised on this in a past discussion several months back.